Having read this, yet again, I have come up with a possible answer for Frodo, he should explain to Pippin that what Orome meant was that the Elves should go off and have lots of little elves, there by multiplying their numbers, or would that make him even more confused?

Lynda

Author Reply: Sorry to have missed this one, Lynda. Yes, it might indeed be the manner in which Frodo finally managed to answer Pippin's question. This was a fun story to write, I found.

6336

Reviewed Chapter: 18 on 3/17/2013

It's scary just how literal children can be.

Just hbow does one explain euphemisms to childrten!?

Lynda

Author Reply: Oh, I know. Which was why I enjoyed writing this story. As one who has taught much of my life, it only felt right to work in a bit of my own experience in trying to get things through the heads of some too clever children who've gotten off on a wrong tangent through misunderstanding words that have more than one meaning. And explaining euphemisms does take some thought, and often some delicacy as well. Thanks so, Lynda!

harrowcat

Reviewed Chapter: 18 on 10/3/2010

Am catching up with SOA on a rare free evening. Loved this. Have been set up like this myself! Six year olds can ask the most profound questions!

Author Reply: As indeed they can, Harrowcat! Heh! Have been set up a time or two by my own or by former students. Joy to you!

Tari

Reviewed Chapter: 18 on 10/1/2010

Looks like Frodo got himself into a real pickle this time. Even my head was spinning as I read Pippin's account of Hobbits multipilication. (LOL) It will be interesting to see how he gets out of this mess.

Author Reply: Oh, this one was very fun to write. And if anyone would begin to appreciate the discrepancy between the different means of "multiplying," I think it would be our Frodo! Heh! Now--to explain to a small Took, who might be precocious but still is a child! Heh!

Armariel

Reviewed Chapter: 18 on 9/25/2010

Uh oh......somebody needs a lesson about the birds and the bees, methinks....heheh!

~~~~~{~@

Author Reply: I suspect that as one who has grown up on a farm Pippin already begins to appreciate the process of procreation, but the language used to describe that process is something else. Heh! Thanks, Armariel.

I also found it very funny that it was no other than Merry who caused Pippin's confusion - although he's quite innocent this time (which is a novelty) ;-)

Author Reply: Yes, Frodo has some explaining to do, and all about how we use language in different ways at different times. But if anyone can do it, I think Frodo can.

As for the question of Merry's relative innocence--I'm not certain we cah be totally sure he didn't enjoy emphasizing the word "multiply" here so as to purposely mess with his younger cousin's thinking about the word and the processes involved. Heh! But, then again, he might be innocent indeed.

6336

Reviewed Chapter: 18 on 9/22/2010

This should come with a humor alert!This reminds me about the one with the snakes, after Noah told the animals in the Arc to go forth and mutiply, after a while he noticed that some of the snakes wern't so he asked them what the problem was, "But Noah we're Adders, we can't multiply!" Noah's answer was to use log tables. Yes, I know it's so old it's got gray hairs on it, from my school days many centuries ago!Lynda

Author Reply: Am so glad it gave you a good laugh, Lynda.

And I'd completely forgotten about that old joke. Thanks so for reminding me of it! Here we appear to have only two species of snakes--garter snakes and another, larger species that is very shy and rarely seen, neither of whom are poisonous to my knowledge--or at least not toward humans or larger mammals. Now, east of the mountains there are rattlesnakes, and they are definitely to be avoided if at all possible. I'd almost enjoy seeing an adder, myself, just to know what they look like.

Teresa

Reviewed Chapter: 18 on 9/22/2010

Chuckle.....it seems Frodo has more than one matter to explain! As always, many thanks for your glimpse into Middle Earth! :)

Author Reply: Oh, yes--such moments of having to work on multiple matters are fairly common for those of us given to teaching, or so I've found. Glad you appreciated the story, and I'm always game to poke about within the parameters of Middle Earth, I find.

Thanks, Teresa.

Rhyselle

Reviewed Chapter: 18 on 9/22/2010

I nearly did a spit-take on the computer screen once I realized what the problem really was! LOL! Very funny!

Bad Paladin for fobbing this particular lesson off on Frodo!

Thanks for brightening my day!

Author Reply: Oh, it was fun to write this one, I found. Am so glad it evoked a few good laughs! Thanks so, Rhyselle!